Leech Lake Legacy believes that by working together and collaborating with a larger network of animal welfare organizations, we will be able to do more for reservation animals and pet owners (www.leechlakelegacy.org)

*Leech Lake Legacy is a 501(c)3 tax exempt non-profit organization

Envisioning a world where every reservation dog and cat is well cared for

Monday, June 23, 2014

As we gear up for the July 11-12 spay/neuter and wellness clinic and also our Lagers for Legacy fundraiser on July 16th, we realize we could use your help.

We are in need of the following items for our upcoming clinic:

Puppy milk replacer (liquid or powder)

Kitten milk replacer (liquid or powder)

Toolbox and tools (screwdrivers, pliers, hammer, etc.) to use at clinics

Onesies (any size but we especially need large)

Muzzles (any size but we especially need large)

Paper towels

Large garbage bags (55 or 44 gallon)

Bleach

Laundry baskets (we could use 4 of these)

Plastic totes with snapping lids - we need them to snap so the mice cannot get into them!

Sharpies (King Size)

Leashes

Puppy pens

Disposable gowns

Ticks are horrendous up at Leech Lake -- Cash donation so we can purchase seresto collars (we are able to purchase seresto collars for $25/each, versus the retail of $50). Make a donation on our website: http://leechlakelegacy.org/donate.html.

You can purchase items on Amazon Smile (a % will be donated back to Leech Lake Legacy) if you use the following link:

If you live in the Twin Cities and would like to arrange for drop off, email us at leechlakelegacy@gmail.com.

For our Lagers for Legacy fundraiser on July 16th, we are still in need of gift cards for our gift card pull. We welcome gift cards in all amounts!! :) All proceeds raised from the gift card pull will go directly towards helping Reservation animals!

Please also mail gift cards to the above address. We will need to receive the gift cards by July 13th.

Friday, June 20, 2014

We thought we'd give you an update on Gilbert, the amazing pup, and service dog in training!! Gilbert was our first surrender at our June 7th clinic and will be the first dog Leech Lake Legacy will transfer over to to Patriots Assistance Dogs/PAD, a non-profit created to train dogs to become service dogs to assist veterans with PTSD/TBI.

Gilbert is currently being fostered by Dennis Junker [Click here to read our first blog on Gilbert and to learn more about how the partnership between Leech Lake Legacy and Patriots Assistance Dogs evolved, and how Gilbert was selected!]. We have been getting regular updates from Dennis about Gilbert and according Dennis, 'Gilbert, aka G-Man, or Gilly .. is truly one of the best dogs to date that i've located. He is definitely in the top 10, but closer to that top 5 mark!! ... Gilbert is soooo well behaved .. Gilbert is going to be like Faith (2nd dog I acquired for PAD from NE) .. pretty much all we had to do was praise her with the command when she automatically did what was required. Gilbert is REALLY THAT GOOD!!!!"

And yesterday, Dennis took Gilbert out for a little training :) "I took Gilbert to the post office, local store and gas station today, he did GREAT!! Showed normal curiosity to new settings and smells, confidant but not pulling to see items in store. Listens to corrections of leave it within two commands!!! Very vigilant to his surroundings checking out all noises or movements!!! Gilbert continues to be his amazing self!!! Using the training collar he self corrects and stays in the heel position! Sadie loves her new playmate!!! ..... I spent about 20 minutes outside the post office talking to people and Gilbert always turned when people or vehicles approached. Very observant young man!! I only had 5 people who met him today that wanted to take him home! Oh, wait, he only met 5 people today!!! :)"

Thank you Dennis and Patriots Assistance Dogs for the amazing work you do. Thank you for taking Dennis into your program and for giving this amazing boy a chance to shine and to 'pay it forward' in helping veterans who have served our country.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Heddy was one of 16 animals who arrived on transport today from Leech Lake and Red Lake Reservations [a big thanks to the ASPCA for the transport grant that is partially funding our weekly transports!] This sweet gentle boy was a little unsure when he first arrived. It took a little coercion to get him out of the crate .. and then the slip lead is always a scary and frightening for the rez dogs arriving on transport. He was scheduled to go to our partner the Animal Humane Society but Doug (AHS animal care staff) who had been hanging out and bonding with Hedda noticed that he was quite itchy and upon further inspection, we soon learn that Heddy has a bad case of contagious 'chewing lice.' With AHS being at capacity and not having a place to quarantine him, Jenny gets busy trying to find a place for Heddy to be temp fostered for 6 weeks while he is treated for chewing lice. Her first call of course is our amazing volunteer Jenna!! Jenna had been temp fostering Webster for 2.5 months while he went through treatment for sarcoptic mange. Webster just left her house a couple days ago and was brought to AHS to be placed up for adoption. Jenna of course said 'YES' to temp fostering Heddy for the 6 weeks to treat chewing lice. We are truly, truly grateful for Jenna and don't know what we would do without her. She is an angel for these animals in need :) Thank you Jenna!!

And thank you Doug for being so kind and caring to Heddy and helping him feel more comfortable ...

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Dennis evaluating Gilbert as a potentialcandidate for Patriots Assistance Dog'sservice dog training program

Approximately 8 months ago, Leech Lake Legacy was contacted by Dennis Junker, volunteer and foster for Patriot Assistance Dogs in Detroit Lakes, MN. The following was an early intro email from Dennis we received :)

"My name is Dennis Junker (1978 Cass Lake High School graduate) and I'm a volunteer with Patriot Assistance Dogs. We train PTSD/TBI service dogs for veterans. I've already acquired 2 awesome dogs,husky/lab mixes, from Cass Lake for our program (from private parties). Something about Rez dogs makes them unique and the right ones make great service dogs!!"

We began conversations with Dennis and began to explore ways LLL and PAD could partner and to provide an opportunity for a dog coming into LLL's care (either surrendered at one of our events or transferred over to our care from the Tribal Police after the dog has completed their stray hold period at the Cass Lake impound).

On Saturday, June 7th, Leech Lake Legacy hosted a Wellness Clinic and Great Puppy Roundup. We invited Dennis to come and meet some of the dogs/puppies surrendered at our event to evaluate them as possible service dog candidates for Patriots Assistance Dogs. Dennis met Gilbert (the very first surrender of the day!), and did an evaluation of Gilbert .. He felt that Gilbert would make a great service dog ... Gilbert marks the beginning of a new partnership/path for Leech Lake reservation dogs to become trained as service dogs for veterans. Gilbert went home with Dennis and will be temp fostered under Leech Lake Legacy until our July 11-12 clinic. Gilbert will begin training and will be evaluated over the next few weeks. If all goes well, we will have a chance to see Gilbert again when we return to Cass Lake for our July 11-12 spay/neuter and wellness clinic ... Gilbert will then be neutered and officially transferred over to our new partner, Patriot Assistance Dogs!! :)

Gilbert

We got the following update from Dennis last night:

"Marilou, thank you so much for the opportunity to foster and evaluate Gilbert!!! He slept through the night and caught on to the house rules immediately!! His second time coming in from potty call he immediately went to the kitchen and sat down waiting for his treat!!! LOL!! Very smart young boy!! Gilbert comes up to me and sits on my foot to be petted, so he's got "close" down pat without any training needed!!! Gilbert knows sit, down and off; he is very gentle when asked to come up on the couch or lap for hugs and cuddles!! Gilbert also immediately interacted with me when I changed my breathing and acted out anxiety!! Trigger and Boots have gently let him know his place in the hierarchy! Sadie is loving having someone with her energy level to play with and Gilbert is eating it up!! For his age and breed he is a very calm boy!! I'll continue to give you updates but I really think we have a winner!! Thanks again!! "

And then this morning, another update :)

" ... my once white Sadie is more brown after her and Gilbert got done with their morning wrestling match!! Baths are now scheduled for this afternoon .. hmmm .. this may become a daily routine!!"

Thank you Dennis and Patriot Assistance Dogs for the amazing work you do. We/Leech Lake Legacy are very excited about this new partnership.